Device for brake light control

Abstract

A device for controlling the brake lights in a motor vehicle having a brake system, designed to be operated by outside forces, is described. The device includes a control device for actuating the brakes of the vehicle in such a manner that an automatic braking operation can be carried out as a function of the vehicle operating conditions, and at least one brake lamp which can be actuated by the control device or by a separate control unit. The control device or the control unit may be designed in such a manner that during an automatic braking operation, the brake lamp is switched on below a predefined boundary speed, as a function of a braking pressure determined in the activated brake of the vehicle, or as a function of a parameter correlating to the braking pressure.

1. A device for controlling brake lights in a motor vehicle having a brake system actuated by outside forces, comprising:
 a control device for actuating the brake system in such a manner that an automatic braking operation is executable as a function of vehicle operating conditions; and 
 at least one brake lamp, actuatable by one of the control device and a separate control unit; 
 wherein the one of the control device and the control unit, during an automatic braking operation, switches on the at least one brake lamp below a predefined boundary speed, as a function of one of a braking pressure determined in an activated brake of the vehicle, and a parameter correlating to the braking pressure. 
 
   
   
     2. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to predefine the boundary speed is to be applicable, and is variable substantially as a function of at least one of a speed of the vehicle and a tilt angle of the vehicle about a transverse axis of the vehicle. 
   
   
     3. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is designed to, during an automatic braking operation, switch on the brake lamp above the predefined boundary speed, as a function of a determined vehicle deceleration. 
   
   
     4. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, during an automatic braking operation, switch off the brake lamp below a predefined boundary speed, as a function of at least one of a braking pressure determined in the activated brake of the vehicle, and a parameter correlating to the braking pressure. 
   
   
     5. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, on reaching or overshooting a predefined switch-on braking pressure threshold value, switch on the at least one brake lamp. 
   
   
     6. Device, as claimed in  claims 5 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to apply at least one of the predefined switch-on braking pressure threshold value and a switch-off braking pressure threshold value as a function of at least one of a speed of the vehicle, a tilt angle about a transverse axis of the vehicle and a weight of the vehicle. 
   
   
     7. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, on reaching or undershooting a predefined switch-off braking pressure threshold value, switch-off the at least one brake lamp. 
   
   
     8. The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one brake lamp is switched off when the predefined switch-off braking pressure threshold is one of equal to and less than the switch-on braking pressure threshold value. 
   
   
     9. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to maintain the at least one brake lamp switched off until switch-on conditions are present without interruption for a specified period of time. 
   
   
     10. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to maintain the at least one brake lamp switched on until specified conditions for switching off are present without interruption for a specified period of time. 
   
   
     11. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, in the case that following an automatic braking operation the vehicle comes to a standstill, said at least one brake lamp to stay on for a duration of time in which the vehicle is at a standstill. 
   
   
     12. Device, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is coupled with a navigation system, and said at least one brake lamp is switched off as a function of a current environment, comprising one of an urban environment and a rural environment. 
   
   
     13. Device, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one brake lamp is switched off as a function of a current type of road being traveled comprising one of an urban street, a rural road, and a freeway. 
   
   
     14. The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one brake lamp comprises a high mount third brake lamp. 
   
   
     15. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, when following an automatic braking operation the vehicle comes to a standstill, cause said at least one brake lamp to stay on for a duration of a specified on-time period and, following passage of the on-time period, to be automatically switched off. 
   
   
     16. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is coupled to a vehicle rear space monitoring device and is adapted to cause, when following an automatic braking operation the vehicle comes to a standstill, said at least one brake lamp, to be automatically switched off when the vehicle rear space monitoring device detects a second vehicle entering a rear space of the vehicle. 
   
   
     17. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to cause, during one of an automatic braking operation causing a vehicle deceleration that is equal to or greater than a predefined boundary deceleration of the vehicle and with a braking pressure that is equal to or greater than a predefined boundary braking pressure, activation of the flashing warning light system in addition to said at least one brake lamp. 
   
   
     18. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting the braking pressure prevailing in an activated brake of the vehicle. 
   
   
     19. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to determine the pressure prevailing in the activated brake of the vehicle by using a computational model. 
   
   
     20. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is coupled to a vehicle rear space monitoring device and is adapted to cause, in the case of an approaching vehicle which is moving in a rear space of the vehicle at a speed above a predefined boundary speed, the brake light to be switched to a second brake light stage, the second brake light stage comprising at least one of an increased brightness of the activated brake lamps, an enlarged illuminated area of the brake lamps, additional brake lamps being activated, and activating flashing warning lamps. 
   
   
     21. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to cause during a deceleration operation initiated by an automatic braking operation and during which a braking pressure is reduced to below a switch-off threshold, is built up again within a specified follow-up period after undershooting the switch-off threshold, the brake light to not be switched off upon undershooting the switch-off threshold, and when, within the specified follow-up period the switch-off threshold is not exceeded again, the brake light to be switched off. 
   
   
     22. Device, as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to monitor the vehicle deceleration, and, triggered by reaching below a predefined lower vehicle deceleration limit, to monitor whether within a delay time dimensioned shorter that the follow-up time, to further cause one of switching-off the at least one brake light when the vehicle deceleration is less than or equal to the lower vehicle deceleration and in the case that the vehicle deceleration for the period of the delay time is less than or equal to the lower vehicle deceleration limit, and
 to switch-off the brake light when the vehicle deceleration falls below a second predefined vehicle deceleration limit, which is substantially smaller than the first vehicle deceleration limit, and when during the delay time the vehicle deceleration falls below the second vehicle deceleration limit, and 
 to switch-off the brake light when the signal of the vehicle deceleration is monitored for a change in the sign, and when during the delay time a sign change is detected. 
 
   
   
     23. Device, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one of the control device and the control unit is adapted to, on initiating an acceleration operation following a deceleration operation, continue monitoring the vehicle, and on detecting a vehicle acceleration, switch-off the at least one brake light.